On Sunday, November 22. 2020 the Lord saw fit to call Pastor Willie Mae Clark home. Willie Mae Saunders was born to the late Charles and Helen Saunders in Scottland Neck, North Carolina on October 9, 1933.

Her father died at a young age and her mother, grandmother, sister, aunts, and uncles came to Norfolk, Virginia in the year of 1939. She attended John T. West School and was promoted to Booker T. Washington High School.

She married the late Linwood McKinley Clark and from that union they had six children (Linwood Jr., Willie, Louise, Karen, Cynthia, and Malinda).

Her husband died at the age of 38 and the saddest part was that he died on her birthday, October 9, 1966. She was left to raise those children as a single parent. She worked hard and sent all the children through high school and one thru college.

At the age of twenty-three, she joined the Jerusalem Apostolic Christian Church in Norfolk, VA. She worked in numerous offices of the church and was faithful and stayed there under the leadership of the late Bishop Clarence Henry Perry for twenty-nine years. She was ordained into the ministry and presided in the church during the pastor’s illness. She was voted to become the pastor after the passing of the Bishop C. H. Perry on August 24, 1986.

Six years after the passing of the Bishop, mom “good little one” Renita was born. Life had really changed for her with the late-night feeding, changing diapers and dealing with car seats and strollers. But that bundle of joy added so much joy to her life.

Willie Mae Clark was the Shepherd of the Jerusalem Apostolic Christian Church and has made many improvements in and outside of the church. She was a hardworking, dedicated worker in God’s Vineyard to teach dying men, women, boys and girls that the wages of sin is death and that the gift of God is Eternal Life thru Christ Our Lord!

Willie Mae was preceded in death by her “baby son” Willie Clark, Cynthia Clark Walker Mann and her oldest son Linwood Clark Jr. and 1 sister Mary L. Williams.

Willie Mae leaves to cherish her memory, her daughters, Louise M. Parker-Kelly of Pasadena, MD, Karen D. Howell (Lee Warren Sr.) of Fayetteville, NC, Malinda D. Wilson of Norfolk, VA and her “Good Little One” Renita Walker. She also leaves to cherish her memory, a daughter-in law, Sandra Clark of Portsmouth, VA a son-in-law Deddie Mann of Norfolk, VA, one aunt Elgia M. Caine-Jones of Norfolk, VA and 19  grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 1 great- great grandson and a host of other nieces, nephews, and friends. She will surely be missed!!